A rise in the number of single older women is putting more at risk of cervical
cancer, a charity is warning.

Too many think that the smear test is "irrelevant" for them, according to a YouGov poll for Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, because they wrongly think the cancer is just caused by sleeping around.

Cervical cancer claims almost 1,000 lives a year in Britain. Its profile has risen in recent years, partially due to the introduction of a vaccine for teenage girls, and partially due to the death in 2009 of Jade Goody, the former Big Brother contestant. She was 27.

But despite the perception it is a cancer of young women, six out of 10 cervical cancers are diagnosed in the over 40s.

Robert Music, director of the charity, warned too few women over 50 were going for smear tests - particularly those who were not in a relationship.

He said: "Divorce rates amongst this group of women are rising dramatically as rates fall for all other ages and our survey showed women in the single, separated and divorced groups were most likely to say the screening invitation seemed irrelevant."

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He noted: "Over half of women in this age group - 51 per cent - told us they thought cervical cancer was caused by having multiple sexual partners and almost one in five - 18 per cent - thought it was hereditary."

Cervical cancers are caused by different strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted through sexual intercourse. However, cancers can develop many years after a woman has been infected.

"We clearly need to remind women that they can have one sexual partner and still be at risk from HPV," said Mr Music.

A year ago, a survey for The Co-operative Pharmacy found a third of those in their early 50s had slept around and had an unprotected one-night stand, while a quarter admitted to have more than one ongoing sexual relationship.

The NHS offers cervical cancer screening to all women aged 25 to 64. The programme is estimated to save some 4,500 lives a year. An NHS report found that women with invasive cervical cancer were 3.5 times more likely not to have been screened for seven years, than those without it.

Mr Music said some older women were put off by the invasive nature of the smear test, with a third those "disappointed" with a previous experience delaying or failing to book screening.

"These figures highlight why we are now seeing drop-offs in screening uptake in the over 50s. It is of real concern that misinformation and myth prevail while the accurate information is just not connecting," he said.

Simon Burns, the Health Minister, said: "I would encourage all women aged 25 to 64 to make the decision to go for screening when invited. It could save their lives.